International Office
Prospective Students
What course is right for me?
DCU is committed to the provision of taught and research programmes that are of the highest academic standard, and delivered in a welcoming and flexible learning environment.
DCU Foundation Programme
The International Foundation Certificate Programme (IFC) is specifically designed for non-native English speakers who do not meet the English language requirements for direct entry onto degree programmes in DCU. The programme is taken on a full-time basis over one academic year and covers a mixture of core and specialist modules. The core modules are designed to help achieve the English language skills necessary for DCU programmes and help facilitate your adjustment to university learning in an Irish context; the specialist modules allow students to take 1/3 of the modules from the first year of their chosen degree programme, thus significantly reducing the first year workload.
The Pre-Masters International Foundation Programme (IFP) is similar in design. Students who successfully complete this course will be guaranteed a place on their target degree programme in DCU and will be entitled to exemptions from modules successfully completed during the foundation year and a corresponding reduction in fees.
Undergraduate Programmes
Our undergraduate degrees are designed to give you practical and transferable skills for our modern economy and society as well as stimulating an entrepreneurial spirit. We specialise in modern humanities and social sciences, engineering and computing, business and innovation, science, health and human performance and education studies. We advise you to choose a course suited to your interest and aptitude.
Postgraduate taught programmes are open to students who have completed an undergraduate degree. There is a wide range of courses to choose from that lead to M.A., M.B.S., M.Sc. and M.Eng. qualifications. Many of these are interdisciplinary, involving different schools or faculties. The programmes are delivered through lectures and seminars. Taught postgraduate courses normally take one year of full-time study, with the summer vacation of the final year being devoted to the preparation and submission of a dissertation related to a specific aspect of the programme of study.
Postgraduate Research
There are four faculties at DCU, each focusing on key areas of research. While some research is exclusive to a particular faculty, other research calls for the expertise of other faculties, institutions and/or organisations, creating and interdisciplinary, national and international approach. DCU’s research facilities are amongst the best in Ireland, and house national research centres in areas such as cellular biotechnology, sensors, plasma technology, networks and communication engineering, language technology, intercultural and information studies.
If you are considering embarking on a PhD you will need to identify a topic that is of genuine interest to you and identify an academic supervisor whose research interests match yours. To find a possible supervisor, consult the Graduate School’s webpage on potential supervisors in the first instance and then make contact with that person.
Visiting Students
Dublin City University warmly welcomes Study Abroad students from across the globe wishing to spend a semester or a year of their studies at our institution. For further information, please continue on to our Study Abroad site (link to http://www.dcu.ie/international/study_abroad/index.shtml)
Erasmus Programme
Erasmus, the EU’s flagship education and training programme, encourages student and staff mobility and European co-operation involving higher education institutions and other key players in the knowledge-based economy. DCU welcomes students from our partner institutions as incoming students and encourages and supports DCU students who wish to avail of this opportunity. For further information, please continue on to our Erasmus site (link to http://www.dcu.ie/international/ects.shtml )
